Fostering in Hampshire
Many children and young people in Hampshire sadly come into care every day. Family conflicts and even illness can be some of the reasons why children are unable to live with their own families, but the main reason is neglect or abuse. TACT are recruiting foster carers in Hampshire to provide safe and caring homes to these children. If this sounds like something that you could do, you could join our Fostering Hampshire Team!
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Can I foster in Hampshire?
You don’t need any previous experience to start fostering in Hampshire. To proceed with an application, you would need to meet this initial criteria:
- To be over 21 years old (there is no upper age limit)
- To have at least one spare bedroom
- To be a full-time resident in the UK or have indefinite leave to remain
You would also need the time and flexibility to dedicate yourself to fostering. Good written and spoken English is essential, as you would be required to work with other professionals, and provide written records detailing the progress of any young people in your care.
Full Training
No prior experience or training is required to become a foster carer.
We provide thorough training to ensure you are fully prepared to care for children in your home. Training is available both in-person and online.
The initial training, called Skills To Foster, is completed online as part of the foster carer assessment process. This short course offers an introduction to fostering and provides an opportunity for you to ask any questions.
Once you are approved as a foster carer with TACT, you will receive a comprehensive training program aimed at enhancing your skills, helping you care for and make a positive impact on more children and young people in the Hampshire area.
We also offer specialised training to assist you in caring for children with specific needs or requirements.
24/7 Support
Ongoing support is essential for making a lasting impact on children’s lives. We reinvest any surplus income to improve the support we offer to our fostering families, ensuring that you always have the help you need.
When you become an approved TACT foster carer, you will be assigned a dedicated Supervising Social Worker. With manageable caseloads, our Supervising Social Workers have more time to fully support you. We believe that with the right support, you’ll be better prepared to provide the care and guidance that positively influences children’s lives.
This is what we provide:
- Full 24/7 support. Your Supervising Social Worker will typically provide the assistance you need, but our out-of-hours service ensures that someone is always available for support or advice.
- Foster carer portal. An online platform that serves as a central hub for TACT foster carers, giving you easy access to important information, advice, training, and resources to support your daily role.
- Education service. A specialised service offering guidance and support to ensure the children in your care have access to the best educational opportunities.
- Health service. Our health team closely monitors the physical and mental well-being of the children in your care.
- Support groups. Local support groups in Hampshire and nearby areas offer a space for you to connect with other carers and share experiences.
- Support for young people. Our Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners provide additional support, activities, and events for the children in your care in the Hampshire area.
- Supporting your own children. We understand the vital role your own children play in the fostering household. Our Children Who Foster events give them the opportunity to connect with other young people involved in fostering.
- Peer support. When available, we pair new foster carers with experienced TACT carers for peer-to-peer support, offering additional guidance and assistance.
Pay & Allowances
Foster carers are highly skilled professionals, and our fees and allowances are designed to recognise the vital work they do.
In collaboration with Hampshire County Council, we receive funding to support the care of children and young people in the region. This funding is used to deliver our services and provide ongoing support to our dedicated team of foster carers. The fostering allowance you receive will be based on factors such as the type of care you provide, the number and ages of the children in your care, and the complexity of their needs.
There are also payments for children’s birthdays, holidays and religious festivals. We also pay long service awards and a Refer a Friend fee (if you recommend someone who then goes on to be an approved foster carer with us).
Below, you can find examples of the weekly Fostering Hampshire payments you could receive when a young person is placed in your care:
Meet The Area Manager
“I have always worked with children from 0-18 years in a variety of settings including the NHS, Local Authorities, and small Charitable organisations. TACT’s ethos is putting the child at the centre and that resonates with me – making TACT a charity I am proud to be a part of.”
Christine McGillvary – TACT Area Manager London & The South
Christine is truly passionate about making a difference to children’s lives. She manages our great team of social workers that cover the South Coast – ensuring that our team of foster parents are fully supported. Christine has over 19 years’ experience in fostering, specifically within the charitable sector.
Rated ‘Good’ By Ofsted
Following an inspection in January 2022, Ofsted have announced that TACT London & the South has been rated ‘Good’ for its work with foster carers and looked after children.
“The fostering service provides a good quality of care, and the experiences and outcomes for children are very positive. Children, many of whom have complex needs, receive personalised care that meets their needs, and they are kept safe.” – Ofsted, 2022
What Our Foster Carers Say
“My husband, Sefton, and I have been fostering with TACT for [over] ten years. New foster carers should keep an open mind and never be afraid to ask for help because TACT will always be there to support you.”
Florrett & Sefton – TACT Foster Carers since 2010
Fostering Information Events
- January 9, 2025
- Hampshire, London,
- Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Hampshire Fostering Information Event
TACT London & The South are hosting a Fostering Information Session at Emsworth Baptist Church on Thursday 9th January between 10am – 12.30pm.
- April 11, 2025
- London
- Time: 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Hammersmith Fostering Information Event
TACT London are hosting a Fostering Information Session at RCNI London West Nursing Careers & Jobs Fair on Friday 11th April 2025 between 9.30am – 4pm.